Later that evening, they had a pleasant dinner with Naima and Ray while Bravo team was out on a mission. Ray had been on Warrant Officer mission and had just returned that afternoon. As Bravo was also slowly heading back, there had been no point in him joining them.
Ray and Sonny sat outside on the back terrace while Naima and Emily cleared away and took care of the dishes.
"How was Antigua?" asked Naima as she took her glass of wine from the kitchen counter and leaned against looking at Emily.
"Paradise. We had this cabin all to ourselves with a private pool. Even though there were other guests, we hardly noticed. It was hard leaving, I wish we'd had a bit more time," she answered as she looked outside at Sonny and Ray.
"I bet. That's how it was when Ray and I were in Costa Rica. It's like a parenthesis in the everyday chaos and uncertainty we know. You guys will find your moments, it just won't be in Antigua."
"VA Beach isn't that bad," replied jokingly Emily as she in turn took her glass and turned her attention to Ray Jr who was playing with his toys at the kitchen table.
Naima looked at her and suddenly saw something in Emily's eyes that touched her deep inside. She was pensive and sad at the same time.
"You want to talk about it?"
Emily snapped out of her stare on Ray Jr. She exhaled and looked at Naima.
"There is nothing more that I want than to give Sonny a child."
Naima smiled. "That's a good thing. Isn't it? You guys still have time."
Emily's face saddened suddenly. "It's not time I'm worried about Naima. I had Zoe and Julia when I was young.. looking back at it, I was too young, but I don't and will never regret it, but our chances are slim and I don't want him to miss out on that joy and happiness."
Naima said nothing but looked at her friend.
"There were complications during Julia's birth and the doctor always mentioned it could cause issues for future pregnancies. It didn't matter really back then, Jack didn't want anymore children and after that we divorced, and I never worried. But now, I am worried."
Naima put her hand over Emily's trying to comfort her. "Sweetie, that was years ago. Things change, medicine has evolved, your body has changed. Don't start worrying until you need to."
"You're right," replied Emily.
"Come on," said Naima as she started walking out of the kitchen.
One month later
Emily was emptying the dryer when the doorbell rang. She folded the last towel, placed it on the dryer and walked over to the door to open it.
"Greyson?"
"Hello Emily. I'm not coming at a bad time, am I?" asked Lindell.
"No of course not. It's good to see you. Why don't you come in?"
Greyson smiled and nodded as he entered the house. He looked around the house discreetly as he followed Emily to the kitchen.
She showed him one of the stools around the counter and he sat down after removing his cap.
"Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee, tea, water?"
"I'd love a coffee."
He kept looking around. His eyes landed on a set of shelves, where Emily's shadow box was as well as the keepsake box, he had offered them for their wedding. There were a lot of photographs of her and Sonny, of Eric, Emily's family and Bravo.
"How have you been?" he asked.
"Great thanks. How about you?"
"I can't complain. Extremely busy. Sonny mentioned that you spend a lot of your time volunteering at Portsmouth hospital."
"Yes, it's been an amazing human experience."
She handed him a cup of coffee, milk, and sugar. As she looked at him, she could tell that he was nervous, which was unlike him.
"You want to get, whatever is getting you worked up, off your chest?" she said smiling.
He laughed slightly. "You know me well."
"I know you enough to read the signs and also, don't take this wrong, but you don't usually come here. So, I guess there's more to it than a curtesy visit or wanting to reminisce about our Navy days."
"Since you've been gone, it's chaotic. We haven't been able to find a decent replacement and it's starting to impact DEVGRU and seal teams."
She frowned, none of the guys had mentioned anything.
"COC is putting pressure on us, they want to make sure that we fix this before it has irreversible consequences."
Emily narrowed her eyes. She knew what that meant: injured or even dead seals and soldiers.
"I'm here because I want you back on the team."
Emily took a step back shocked. "Greyson, I left the Navy and when I did, it wasn't to go back. I'm perfectly happy with the life I'm leading now."
"I understand and I respect that. After your years of service, you deserved to retire." He lifted his hand, "Just give me a minute to tell you what I'm talking about."
She nodded and leaned back against the counter.
"We'd like you to come on board as a civilian consultant at TOC. You'd stay on base only, no deployments, no combat. You'd simply be doing what you were doing at TOC before, but without the uniform and the title."
She stared at him, it wasn't how she imagined her day to go when she woke up this morning, far from it to be exact.
"Your years of service and the level of your expertise are impeccable. Along with being in TOC we believe you could be an amazing asset to the new generation and train them to be prepared for any situation in TOC and out in the field, as you were."
He took a sip of his coffee before reaching inside his pocket and pulling out an envelope and placing it on the kitchen counter.
"Take the time to look at the proposal, discuss it with Sonny and think about it. We'll respect your decision if you decide to not come back. But in all honesty, we'd prefer having you back on the team!"
He finished his coffee, stood, put his cap back on and looked at her. "Let me know."
She said nothing but nodded.
"I'll let myself out. Thanks for the coffee."
She kept her eyes on the envelope as he walked out of the kitchen. When she heard the door close shut, she moved toward the countertop, took the envelope in her hand, and opened it.
"I can't believe Lindell!" said Sonny upset as he had listened to what Emily had told him. "It's almost like he ambushed you in coming here."
"That's beside the point. Is he telling the truth? Are things that bad?"
"Things are never perfect," replied Sonny as he grabbed a beer in the fridge.
She looked at him unamused. "I'm being serious. He mentioned that there was a risk of collateral damage."
"He shouldn't have told you that and worry you."
"So, it's true?"
Sonny said nothing, but he didn't need to, the look in his eyes said it all. She exhaled angrily.
"You're right he shouldn't have told me. You should!"
"I didn't want you to worry. It's hard enough as it is for you to see me go."
"Don't do that. Don't protect me. We said that me being out of the Navy didn't change that and that you would always tell me when things were rough. You're right, it's hard for me to know you deploy, the least you could do is tell me when the odds of you being killed are increasing, so that I can prepare for the worst!"
"I don't want you to prepare for the worst!" he yelled out. "I don't want you to prepare my funeral in your head. I don't want you to envision life without me. So, as your husband, as the man who loves you, if I can, then I will protect you and this family from all of that!"
She blinked and looked at him. He put his beer down and walked over to her.
He took his hand and caressed her cheek.
"Baby, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get upset or shut you out. There was little I could do to protect you when you were in the Navy and it weighed heavily on me, I want to be able to do it now. You should live carefree and focus on us, on the girls and on the hospital."
She placed her hand over his that rested on her cheek.
"I know, but I've seen the horrors this world is made of and I know what you are up against when you fly out of here. I don't want you to have to carry that alone."
"If you ask me, you and I want the same thing, be there for one another. So, I promise to not shut you out if you promise me you won't over worry."
She nodded and he kissed her.
"What do you want to do?"
"I don't know yet," she replied as she bore her eyes in his.
"Look, I'd be biased to say that I would give anything to have you in command, because you do an amazing job, and I'd get to catch a glimpse of you every now and then on base, but I don't want you to base your decision on me or the rest of the guys. Whatever you decide, I'll be behind you a 100% and you know that."
"I know."
"Come on, it's late and there is something else I want to do with you than argue or talk about the Navy."
He lifted an eyebrow and gave her a sexy look. She smiled and let him lead her upstairs.
He closed the door behind them and pinned her against it. He kissed her passionately as he let his hands wander over her body. He felt the door behind her budge.
"Just a second!" he said, barely removing his lips from hers.
"Come on Casanova, they're waiting for you! Honeymoon's been over for a while now!" they heard Ray say from the other side of the door.
Still holding on to her, Sonny removed his lips from hers and looked at her. "Can I hate him right now?"
Emily laughed. "No. Besides, he's right, you're holding up production Petty Officer Quinn."
He raised his eyebrows and gave her a look that sent butterflies in her stomach. "I love it when you talk that way to me.."
"Don't do that," she said.
"What? I'm not doing anything."
"Like hell you're not. You're teasing me and making me want you right now."
"Is that bad?"
"Yes, especially when you are about to fly out to Bahrain for a couple of days and I'm going to be here all alone."
"Well, then Mrs. Quinn, you'd better keep that yearning burning until I get home, so that I can take care of it when I get back."
"Copy that," she answered as she kissed him one last time. "Watch your six Bravo 2."
"Yes ma'am," he said as he opened the door and came nose to nose with Ray. "You're still here?"
"Hey, you're in my shoes for this trip and I need Emily, so yeah, I'm still here waiting. Get out of here."
"You take care of my girl," Sonny said as he clasped hands with Ray.
"I'll guard her with my life," answered Ray.